Looking for a way to improve your garden? Companion planting helps you get more out of your harvest, keep pests at bay, and welcome pollinators. It is a centuries-old technique involving planting different crops to benefit both plants. By selecting the right combinations of plants, gardeners can create a beautiful and productive garden resistant to pests and diseases. In this blog, I’ll explain why you should pair companion plants to keep your garden thriving.

Natural Pest Repellent

The more diverse your garden is, the less you’ll see destructive pests. All while providing a haven for the beneficial ones.
Certain plant combinations can help to deter pests that would otherwise damage your plants. For example, I plant marigolds near tomatoes to help repel nematodes while planting basil near tomatoes to help repel aphids and other insect pests. Additionally, I plant certain plants like lavender and citronella around the garden to help repel mosquitoes and other flying insects. By incorporating companion planting techniques, you can reduce the need for harmful pesticides and create a beautiful garden.

Companion Planting Creates Enriched Soil

If you follow along with me on this blog, you’ll hear me mention the importance of soil health. The soil is one of, if not the most crucial step in a prospering garden. When you companion plant, you improve soil quality in your garden by promoting beneficial relationships between different plants. You can also limit your need for fertilizer. For example, legumes like beans and peas can fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting neighbouring plants like tomatoes and peppers. With enhanced soil, you’ll have better and bigger harvests.

Attract Pollinators

Pollinators are essential to a good harvest of your veggies and fruit. They are the little workers that ensure the flowers on your plants pollinate and come to fruition. They’re critical for our survival, since they pollinate all our food. This is why I love planning my garden to accommodate and attract them. Companion planting with specific flowers that attract suitable pollinators to your crops will improve your harvest. An example of this is planting nasturtiums near tomatoes, attracting bees to pollinate the tomato plant.

Shade and Support

Choosing companion plants can also add shade to shield delicate plants from the harsh summer sun. An excellent example is using a tall crop, like corn, and planting it near lettuce to protect it from burning. You can also grow taller crops near any partial sun plant; this is especially helpful when you have a full-sun garden.

Companion planting can also offer support for vining plants. Plant them near tall, stalky crops like corn and sunflower. Three Sisters is a traditional Native American planting technique that involves growing corn, beans, and squash together. It is an excellent example of why to pair certain plants together. Here’s a link if you want to check into it more: https://www.nativeseeds.org/blogs/blog-news/how-to-grow-a-three-sisters-garden

Create a Beautiful, Bio-Diverse Garden With Companion Planting

Another reason I love pairing vegetables with beneficial flowers is that they create a stunning and bio-diverse ecosystem in your backyard. The flowers you plant provide beautiful, luscious scenery to enjoy. It is satisfying to watch pollinators buzz around like bees and butterflies (and even dragonflies if you add a waterscape). One of my favourite things is to sit by my garden and take in all the sights and sounds. It can truly make your garden feel more alive.

Planning Ahead

Companion planting is a great way to improve your garden’s overall health and productivity. Even if you’re new to gardening, you can start incorporating this technique into your planting strategy. By planting certain species together, you can create a more balanced ecosystem that benefits all the plants in your garden. It’s important to remember that not all plants can be planted beside each other.

Planning before your plants even go near the garden is the best way to start. I love making a garden layout on a piece of paper and mapping out where I’d like everything to go. I make changes depending on what plants would do better being beside something else or far away from another plant. This also gives me an idea of how much space I have for each plant.

I created a little chart that you can print to keep on hand and get the most out of your garden space.

Your garden can become a beautiful, productive, and environmentally sustainable using companion planting techniques. So why not try it and see how it can transform your garden? Leave me a comment below and let me know your experiences with companion planting and how it benefited your garden!